Dam-holder.



Patented Jan. 21, i919.

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T FICE.

ELMER B. STOUGHTON, OF ROGERS, ARKANSAS.

DAM-HOLDER.

Application filed May 26, 1917.

To alt whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELMER B. S'IOUGHTON, acitizen of the United States, residing at ogers, in the county of Bentonand State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Dam-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

It is an important aim of my invention to provide a device which may besupported by the dam itself upon the face of the patient, in such manneras to hold the outer edge portions of the dam well beyond the limits ofthe mouth, and to maintain the dam in such condition to get in the wayof the dentist, and will leave a clear space around the tooth or teethengaged in the dam, enabling the necessary operations to be conductedwith facility. A further object is to provide an appliance of this kindwhich will be adapted to the contour of the face of the average personwhen the mouth is open. A further aim is to give such a construction aswill operate satisfactorily for holding the dam, either for upper orlower teeth. A further purpose is to enable the device to be manipulatedquickly and in a simple manner, requiring no great dexterity orexperience. A further aim is to provide a new and novel means forsecuring rubber sheeting upon a support, or for fastenings for variouspurposes.

Additional objects, advantages and features ofinvention will appear fromthe combination and formation and arrangement of parts in the device asparticularly described hereinafter, and shown in the drawings, wherein,

Figure l is a in one form,

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device,

Fig. 4 shows the invention in use upon a patient.

There is illustrated a dam holder comprising a substantially U-shapedframe member 10, which may be formed of aluminum or other suitable metalor may be of rubber and other compositions of a suitable character,having such a length that when the bight 11 is disposed upon thesymphysis of the lower jaw, the ends of the arms 12 will stop closelyadjacent the malar prominences of the face. The holder is of a widthsuch that it will lie with its ends immediately under the centers of themalar prominences of the average face, and the intermediate plan view ofthe appliance Specification of Letters Patent.

that it will not tend,

Patented Jan. 21, 1919. Serial No. 171,127.

portions of these arms lie outwardly of the ends of the mouth. Upon theouter edges of the arms 12, there are a series of spur cleats 15,somewhat similar in form to the ordinary nautical cleat used forsecuring hem cables. The point portions 16 of the cleats extend inalinemeut with the adjacent portion of the holder 10, approximately, andare blunted at their ends so that when a dam is secured thereupon ashereinafter described, it will not necessarily be punctured. The cleatsin practice have been made from three-eighths to one-half an inch long,although the size may be varied as found desirable. The cleats arepreferably concaved upon their outer surfaces, slightly, although thisis not essential.

In use, a portion of rubber sheeting 17 is cut, of a size to receive thedesired teeth of a patient through its central part, and to have itsouter edges stretched beyond the borders of the patients mouth. The dammay be engaged upon the teeth and the holder applied thereto afterward,or the dam may be secured upon the holder and fitted to the teeth of thepatient afterward, as circumstances make most desirable. In the eventthat the dam is adjusted upon the teeth first, the edge portions thereofare drawn outwardly and held against the face of the patient beyond themouth as well as possible with one hand, while the holder is laid uponthe dam in the proper position with respect to the mouth of the wearerso as to lie as much as possible out of the way of the dentist whenmanipulating implements in operating upon the patient. The edge portionof the dam adjacent one of the cleats 15 is then drawn outwardly so asto stretch the dam slightly away from the point of engagement with thecleat, and the rubber immediately adjacent the teeth stretched inopposite directions from the middle of the cleat and pressedthereagainstwhile it is released. The elasticity of the material of thedam will then draw it together upon the points of the cleat, causingthese to press into the material of the dam and hold the rubber of thedam against disengagement. It will be understood from this that eachcleat effects a holding engagement with the dam independently of theother cleats. A simllar operation is then performed on an oppositecleat, and also upon the others in turn and when this adjustment hasbeen completed, it will be found that the holder is supported snuglyagainst the face of the patient, while the dam is held as desired,covering the mouth of the patient, the parts being well out of the wayof the dentist, and the patient suflering a minimum of inconveniencefrom the dam and the holder.

If desired, certain parts of the dam may be left loose while others arestretched tightly, if found desirable by the dentist.

: Thus, when a tooth at the back of the mouth is to be operated upon,the dam may be. allowed to lie loosely in the mouth of the patientthereby leaving space around the tooth or teeth inserted through thedam, in a which instruments may be manipulated freely.

In case it should be found desirable, the dam may be stretched upon theholder first, and the dam and holder laid against the face of thepatient.

The engagement of the dam around the Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the teeth of the patient isaccomplished in the usual manner familiar to dentists.

lVhat is claimed is: V

In a dentists dam holder, a frame and a plurality of cleats on the outersides of the frame, each eleat including two oppositely extendedconsiderably elongated point portions alined with the adjacent part ofthe frame and having blunt ends, whereby a dam may be laid over theframe and immediately adjacent local portions stretched over the cleatsunder tension longitudinally of the cleats to be frictionally heldthereon by each cleat individually.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

ELMER B. STOUGHTON.

Witnesses:

D. Enw. J. HIEJIE, ANNA B. TWINEY.

Commissioner of Patents,

